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Philadelphia 76ers: 25 Best Players To Play For The 76ers

By Phil Watson

Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General view of the Wells Fargo Center during a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons won107-95. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General view of the Wells Fargo Center during a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons won107-95. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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SYRACUSE, NY- 1962: Larry Costello #21 of the Syracuse Nationals shoots against Wilt Chamberlain #13 of the Philadelphia Warriors circa 1962 at the Onondaga War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1962 NBAE (Photo by The Stevenson Collection/NBAE via Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY- 1962: Larry Costello #21 of the Syracuse Nationals shoots against Wilt Chamberlain #13 of the Philadelphia Warriors circa 1962 at the Onondaga War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, New York. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1962 NBAE (Photo by The Stevenson Collection/NBAE via Getty Images) /

12. player. 93. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Purchased contract, Philadelphia Warriors, Oct. 10, 1957.. PG. . Larry Costello

Larry Costello had lost most of his first two NBA seasons to the U.S. Army and didn’t impress terribly in his third before the Syracuse Nationals purchased his contract from the Philadelphia Warriors in October 1957.

The move shot his career to new heights.

PHI_12_COSTELLO
PHI_12_COSTELLO /

Costello was a six-time All-Star with the Nationals and, later, the 76ers and was an All-NBA selection in 1960-61.

He was the top free-throw shooter in the NBA in 1962-63 and 1964-65, was third in the league in 1961-62 and fifth in 1959-60.

He also finished third in the league in field-goal percentage in 1960-61, was third in assists in 1958-59 and fourth in 1959-60 and was fifth in the NBA in minutes per game in both 1957-58 and 1958-59.

Costello retired after the 1964-65 season and played the 1965-66 campaign in the Eastern Professional Basketball League before getting a call from coach Alex Hannum that the 76ers needed backcourt help for the 1966-67 season.

He was on the roster but did not play in the 1967 NBA Finals, when the 76ers won their first title after moving from Syracuse by beating the San Francisco Warriors in six games. Costello then retired for good after the 1967-68 season.

In 10 seasons with Syracuse and Philadelphia, Costello averaged 12.9 points, 4.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 30.3 minutes per game, shooting 44.5 percent from the floor and 84.6 percent at the line.

A second-round pick out of Niagara by the Warriors in the 1954 NBA Draft, Costello missed the entire 1955-56 season to serve in the U.S. Army.

The Milwaukee Bucks hired Costello as their head coach for their inaugural season in 1968-69 and also, just for good measure, selected him from Philadelphia in the May 1968 expansion draft.

In parts of nine seasons with the Bucks, Costello was 410-264 and 37-23 in the playoffs, including winning the NBA championship in 1970-71. He resigned his position in November 1976 after a 3-15 start.

In June 1978, he was hired to coach the Chicago Bulls, but was fired in February 1979 with the club at 20-36.

After battling cancer for more than a year, Costello died Dec. 13, 2001, in Fort Myers, Fla., at the age of 70.

Next: Took Philly By Storm For A Season